Book IV Hope
by ranger52052
Summary: The Varden continue to fight in the name of freedom with Eragon at it's helm. As the war continues the battles turn more violent as the final confrontation looms ever closer...
1. Chapter 1

An arrow whistled by his head from a house further up the street shearing through what little remained of his wards and burying itself in the side of a house.

"Damn it!" Eragon exclaimed after he narrowly avoided the arrow. The Varden had for several days been trying to take control of Fienester by sweeping the city, forcibly removing the resistant foes. The battle of Fienester was over, but there was still large groups of rebels fighting back against the Varden. Eragon had been appointed to lead a squadron of soldiers that's job was to rout the enemy forces closer towards the Citadel. They had been unsuccessful for the most part as archers fired upon the squadron as they were moving through the streets at the least expected moments. Eragon's squadron already had five soldiers shot and killed by them and a dozen more injured by both arrows and surprise ambushes.

"I think it's time to fall back to the Citadel, we can't continue the strategy unless we..."

Eragon was about to say more when suddenly another arrow flew through the air and hit him in his left arm. A soldier directly behind who Eragon thought his name was Anthony sighted and shot at the assailant who was in the process of reloading his crossbow. The arrow traveled through the air for only a brief second before it hit its mark causing the man to tumble off the second story roof and fall to the ground several feet below.

Eragon stared in shock at the arrow in his arm until he realized what he needed to do. He grabbed the arrow with his right hand, and with gritted teeth he pushed the arrowhead through until it was about even on both sides. Eragon then broke the shaft of the front of the arrow in half, and pulled he pulled both half's out.

Eragon whispered,"Wasie Heile." under his breath to close up the injury, and he then wiped the blood of his hands onto his pants. "I really need to replace my wards." Eragon muttered out loud as he walked towards the man that had shot him.

He was laying face down on the ground with a growing puddle of blood growing from his chest. The arrow had broken underneath him as he could see part of the shaft that had killed him laying next to him. Eragon knelt down next to the man as he flipped him on to his back. He saw nothing special about the man other then there was a vertical scar starting at his mouth that continued up to his left eye.

"Rider Eragon, are you all right?" Anthony asked him who had approached him while he was investigating the body.

"Yeah i'm fine, my arm is just a bit sore." Eragon said to him. Most of the squadron had gathered around him while four or five were keeping watch of the rooftops.

_Eragon! _A shout erupted through his mind causing him to wince at the force from his beloved Sapphire who had just returned from hunting. _How is the sweep of the city going?_

_Not very well, we continue to get ambushed every few hours, I have already lost over fifteen men today from injuries and death. _Eragon said to her in a sad voice.

_Well, at least you were not injured Eragon. _Sapphire said to him showing him an image of the city from above through their mental link.

_I was shot by an arrow just a couple of minutes ago in my arm, but am now fine,_ Eragon said to Sapphire showing her an image of his now fine arm.

_Well why did your wards not protect you from the arrow?_ Sapphire asked him as she landed in the Varden camp.

_Well, I haven't had time to replenish my wards since the battle_, Eragon admitted to Sapphire.

_What! _she exclaimed. _Why have you not, it's not like you have not had time to replace them! _With that, Sapphire ended the conversation.  
Eragon shook his head promising himself to replace the wards, and talk to Sapphire as soon as possible.

"Sorry about the lapse in concentration, I was talking with Sapphire about matters. But as I was saying before, I think we should head back to the main body of the Varden to rest and regroup." Eragon said to the group who were looking at him curiously, then followed by a collective sigh from the group.

"Okay, move out!" Eragon shouted.


	2. Chapter 2

**PLEASE READ!**

**I just want to say that I have a lot of fun writing this story so far! A few quick notes, I will try to update weekly, but things might get hectic around Christmas time. Also, any feedback that you guys give will be appreciated.**

**ranger52052**

"Normal Speaking"

_Mental thought_

_"Ancient Language"_

Arya walked into the throne room of the Citadel admiring the large hole that Sapphire had created in the ceiling a few days prior after she was admitted by the Nighthawks.

Earlier that day Arya was in her tent replenishing her wards on herself and her sword when somebody knocked on the wooden pole outside of her tent. She put her sword down onto the table as she stood up walked over to the opening of her tent. Arya opened the flap to see a young boy was standing outside looking at the ground with a paper in his hand. The boy looked up and saw that she was waiting, so he began to speak very fast about how Nassuadua wanted to speak with her later that day. He appeared very nervous to be there, and by the time he finished talking, and hand the parchment over to her, he ran back towards the direction of the Citadel.

Arya walked back into her tent leaving the flap open while she opened the paper. The paper was what she expected it to be just affirming what the boy has said to her. When she was finished reading the paper she folded it and put it into her pocket for further reference. She walked over to the table to pick up her sword and put it into it's sheaf. When she closed the flaps of her tent Arya felt a familiar presence brush against her mind.

_Arya, how are you? _Sapphire asked her curiously.

_I'm fine considering everything that has happened in the last few days._ Arya said to her as she was walking towards the Citadel.

_That is good, I was hoping that you be better then Eragon is. _Sapphire said as she was flying over the camp.

_What do you mean? Is Eragon not feeling well? _Arya asked as she started to feel concern for the young rider.

_These last few days have been... strenuous on Eragon to say the least. He has been constantly on patrols throughout the the city trying to focus on something else other then the loss of Gladear and Oromis. The loss of our mentors has been very difficult for both me and him. _Sapphire said to her.

Arya brushed away a tear at the thought of Gladear and Oromis's deaths. _I will talk to Eragon when I get the chance about the loss. Thank you. _Arya said to Sapphire as she pulled away her mind as she entered the city.

She walked through the open gates of the cities to see what once was a very clean and organized town. The houses nearest to the gate had been burnt to the ground with a pile of bodies next to the gate growing. She turned away in disgust from the smell and sight of the numerous bodies, and continued on her way to the Citadel. She could see that Fienester was an occupied town from the hundreds of soldiers that were in the city, helping with the fallout of the battle. Arya was not surprised to see Eragon talking to several soldiers that were currently trying to remove rubble from off the street. Arya was watching them for some time before she heard Eragon's voice, "Arya, are you okay?

She nodded her head and called to him from across the street,"Yes, I'm fine I was just thinking."

"So why are you here? The soldiers have the relief efforts of the city under control, and I was stopped by one of the soldiers that needed medical attention." Eragon said to her.

"_Nassauda wanted to speak with me, so I was on my way to the Citadel to speak with her, when I ran in to you. I wanted to ask, how are you doing, we have not spoken to each other since when we scryed the queen to report the Varden's victory._" Arya asked him in the ancient language.

"_I have been better, the battle has taken a great toll on me and Sapphire. I was on my way back to camp to speak with Sapphire, so if you excuse me, I must go." _Eragon said to her as he began to walk back towards the main gate. Arya glanced at Eragon's retreating figure as she continued to walk towards the Citadel.

• • • • • •

Arya reached the Citadel as the sun began to go down, making the sunset against it look beautiful. She walked into the large open doors to be greeted by the Nighthawks. An average sized dwarf walked up to her "What is your business here elf?"

"Nassauda had requested to speak with me earlier today and I came as soon as possible." Arya then pulled the paper out of her pocket and gave it to the guard.

He shook his head and walked back into the throne room to talk to Nassauda, coming back ten minutes late saying, "She is expecting you. Right this way please." Arya followed the dwarf back in to the throne room as the sun had set.


End file.
